This invention relates to a communications system for supporting inter-dependent data messages
A communications device, such as a server, may act as an intermediary for storing and forwarding data messages in a communication network. For example, the communications device functions as an intermediary where the communications device intercepts and processes data messages that are sent from a source communications device to a destination communications device. The source communications device may be associated with a first business entity. The destination communications device may be associated with a second business entity. Accordingly, the intermediary communication device that is interposed in a communications path between the first business entity and the second business entity is sometimes referred to as a business-to-business brokering architecture.
A conventional brokering architecture may provide an inadequate message inter-dependency scheme for reliable data processing. If a communications disruption of the transmission of a data message occurs, the communications system may waste time and resources sending outdated data messages, which are related to the disrupted data message. Alternately, the communications system may receive data messages, which are related to the disrupted data message, in an unexpected or unknown order that corrupts data integrity. For example, a message inter-dependency scheme may not support restrictions on the transmission of data messages to prevent overwriting of the most accurate data messages by less accurate data messages.
Business-to-business brokering architectures have been used to route data messages between computer systems of different organizations within a single enterprise. For example, a brokering architecture optimized for an intra-enterprise environment may be configured with capabilities for storing and forwarding data messages, routing data messages, transforming the format of data messages, recovering data messages, and restarting data message transmission after a disruption to data flow. However, an intra-enterprise or inter-enterprise brokering architecture may have inadequate security provisions for secure use over a communications network, such as the Internet. Thus, a need exists for a communication system that meets the security requirements and message inter-dependency requirements to facilitate reliable operation of the communications system in an inter-enterprise environment over a communication network, such as the Internet.
In accordance with the invention, a communications system and method supports handling of inter-dependent data messages to facilitate reliable communications despite a communications disruption. The communications system assigns dependency characteristics to corresponding message types. The communications system determines if a communication disruption has occurred. The communication system executes a message handling command if the disruption occurred. The message handling may reduce or eliminate transmissions of redundant or outdated data messages to reduce the burden on communications resources (e.g., bandwidth of a channel over a communications network). Further, the message handling may filter out unwanted or outdated data messages to obviate the danger of replacing or overwriting a later more accurate data message with an outdated data message.